Full fashioned knitting machine



July 5, 1932.

w. D. RICHTER 1,865,707

FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE 195' 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan.

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FULL FASHIONED KNITTING MACHINE Filed Jan. 30, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 3Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WOLFGANG D. RICHTER,OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVMIA, ASSIGNOR TO WILDMAN MFG. OO., OFNORBISTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA FULL FASHIONEDKNITTING MACHINE Application filed January 30, 1930. Serial No. 424,651.

The invention concerns mechanism for rocking the needle bar of fullfashloned knitting machine or cotton frames during the introduction ofthe extra yarn for reinforcing and particularly during the makmg oftapered reinforced areas in the stocking for the high splice.

The invention also includes safety mechanism whereby during the timethat the narrowing actions are performed and the main cam shaft isshifted the means for automatioally adjusting the needle carrying barwill be thrownout of action.

The invention includes various other fea tures which will be clear fromthe accompanying description and the appended claims.

The accompanying drawings show in:

Figures 1 and 1a are front views of so much of a full fashioned knittingmachine as is necessary to illustrate the embodiment of my improvementthereon. These two figures are to bercgarded as one view. Fig. 1abelongs at the right of Fig. 1.

Figs. 1b, 10- and 1d show details of the mechanism of Figs. 1a and 2a.

Figs. 2 and 2a are plan views of parts shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2abelonging at the ri ht of Fig. 2.

ig. 3 is a transversed section of the machine'from front to rear.

Fig. 3a is a view taken transversely of the cam shaft showing more indetail a group of mechanism of Fig. 3.

--'Fig. 4 illustrates different forms of cams for rocking'the needle barto get different shapes of reinforced areas.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of a pin drum and the part for which it acts asa stop.

Fig. 6 is a detail view looking from the right of Fig. 1a.

Fig. 7 is a face view of the wing cam and associated parts.

In the drawings the needles 1 are mounted as usual in a bar 2 carried bya yoke member 3 pivotally mounted at 4' to an arm- 5 of a lever fixed tothe needle bar rock shaft 6, the other arm 5a of said lever (shownbroken away in Fig. 3) extending down to be operated by a cam (notshown) on the cam shaft 7, all as in ordinary practice. This mechanismgives to the needle row its up and down movement as is well known. Theneedles are also given as usual a rocking movement about the pivot 4 andfor this purpose the yoke 3,

which supports the needle bar is given a swinging movement by a lever 8fixed to the presser shaft 9 suitably mounted in the frame. The lever 8depends from the presser shaft and is operated by a cam on the shaft 7,and for this purpose the lever arm is provided with a roller 10 to bearon the cam on the main cam shaft 7. The lever 8 connects with the yoke 3by an arm 8a pivoted to the lower end of the yoke at 3a. The arm has ahandle 85 by which it may be lifted to disengage the arm from the pin 80to thus allow the yoke 3 to be turned about its pivot 4 by moving thehandle backward for'swinging the needle row towards the front of themachine. This rocker mechanism operated by the cam 10a and roller 10also is of the ordinary and well known form and is for the purpose ofpressing the needle beards in the formation of the stitches, there beingprovided as is well known, a presser baragainst which the beards arepressed as a result of that part of the rocking movement which takesplace towards the rear of the machine.

It will be understood that the rocking movement with which thisinvention is concerned is for the purpose of changing the position ofthe needle row in respect to the sinkers for drawing longer stitchesduring reinforcing is quite independent of the rocking movement forpressing just mentioned.

When the tapered high splice is to be produced provision must be madefor forming longer loops by moving and holding the needle bar relativeto the sinkers to accommodate the additional yarn i. e. the splicingyarn and as the reinforced area is tapered, and the length of thesuccessive spliced courses varies in accordance with the pattern, itbecomes necessary to hold the needle bar with the row of needles in theadjusted position for varying lengths of time.

In the case of making the high splice of upwardly tapered form thelengths of the spliced portions of the courses increases with thesuccession of the courses and hence the length of time that the adjustedposition of the needle row is maintained for getting longer loops mustalso increase with the succession of courses, or vsubstantially so.

In making the high splice therefor the loop lengths must vary during onecourse because the loops must be longer in the reinforced portion at theheel tabs than at the center portion of the fabric between the heel tabsand as above stated, where the reinforced area gradually widens as theknitting proceeds the proportion of long loops in the successive.courses must increase.

I show at 11 the regulating rock shaft which has an arm 12 extending uptherefrom carrying a pin 13 to bear on the rear edge of the lever arm 8for removing the lever arm from the influence of the cam 10a on the camshaft and for swinging the needle bar into position for the formation oflonger loops by the act of the sinkers sinking the yarn between them.This swinging movement 0 the needle bar for getting longer loops istherefore towards the sinkers or in other words, towards the rear of themachine.

In order to control this rock shaft 11 so that its arm 12, 13 will holdthe lever 8 forwardly for varying periods corresponding to the varyingwidths of the spliced area, I employ a wing cam on the camshaft 7, thetwo wings 14 of which correspond to the two spliced areas above the heeltabs, and the space between these wings corresponds to the plain ornon-reinforced portion of the fabric at the enter of the fabric, i. e.the portion that is to form the instep. The wings 14 are tapered tocorrespond with the shape of the areas to be reinforced.

Cooperating with this wing cam is a roller 15, shiftable along a rod 16extending parallel with the cam shaft and carried by a yoke 17 fixed-tothe regulating shaft 11. The roller is shifted automatically by a fork19 engaging an annular groove in the hub of the roller.

The fork 19 is fixed to a rod 20 extending lengthwise of the machine andguided in suitable brackets as 21. This rod is pressed rightwardnormally by a spring 20?) bearing on a collar 20:10 at one endand thebracket 21 at the other end. The osition of the shifting roller when thereinf drcing of the area of varying width begins, is at or near thesmall end of the tapered wings 14 i. e. towards the right in Figs. 1 and2, and this corresponds in the fabric to the upper end of the upwardlytapered high splice. While this narrow portion of the cam wing 14 isacting on the roller 15 the pin 13 of the regulating arm 12 will beholding the lever arm 8 forwardly so as to adjust the needle rowrearwardly for the making of longer loops to accommodate the extra yarnbeing knitted in. As

- the spliced portion of the successive courses increases in length, theroller 15 will assume positions step by step towards the wider or baseportions of the cam wings 14, i. e. the

roller will be moved step by step leftward in Figs. 1 and 2.

For determining these different positions of the roller 15 i. e. forcausing it to assume positions step by step towards the left, I employ apattern drum 22 consisting of a wheel or. disc having a series ofpattern pins'23 extending from its side face parallel with the camshaft. These pins are successively of different length. Starting withashort pin, the next adjacent pin in the circular row is a little longerthan the first, the next is a little longer than the second and so onthroughout the circle of pins, the pattern face provided by the ends ofthese pins being thus in conformity with the desired gradually wideningshape of the reinforced area.

This drum is rotated step by step by pawl and ratchet mechanisms showngenerally at 25 operated by a link 26 from a rocker lever 27 pivoted tobracket 27 a having a roller 28 operated by acam on the cam shaft.

This roller 28 is shiftable into and out of line with the cam 28a whichoperates it. This shifting is done by a forked arm or controller 28battached to a rod 32 operated by a lever 33 from buttons 37 on anendless pattern chain 35. 3 a

A detent 29 holds the pattern drum in any position to which it isoperated.

The ratchet wheel arrangement consists of two wheels,one 24a havingregular teeth and the other 24?) having every other tooth a deep toothso that only when the pawl drops into the deep tooth will it engage theregular ratchet and turn the drum. The cam shaft 7 makesone revolutionfor each course. The pawl 24 is'operated once for each revolution butbecause of the ratchet arrangement the drum-will be moved only one stepfor two revolutions of the cam shaft, and hence once for each twocourses.

The drum by its pins as above stated determines the positions of theshifting roller 15 relative to the tapered camwing.

For this purpose the rod 20 has a stop 20a fixed thereon to come againstthe pattern pins 23 as they are brought around by the drum into positionto be contacted by the stop 20a when this moves with its rod 20rightward, under the action of the spring 20?).

This spring is arranged between a collar 20m on the rod and one of thebrackets 21. This rod- 20' must first be moved leftward in order to freethe stop 20a from the stepped formation provided by the pattern drumpins for the purpose of allowing the drum to be turned step by step tobring its various stop pins into line with the stop pin 20a and then therod is moved rightward until stop pin 20a comes against the pin on thedrum. The

The pawl is carried by a rocker arm leftward movement of the rod justmentioned above is accomplished by a bell crank lever 20c Figs. 1a and2a pivoted to a bracket 20d and having its horizontal arm 206 underlyinga lever 20f pivoted to the frame at 20g. This lever has a roller 30operable by a cam 29m on the cam shaft 7 when shifted into linetherewith and when operated the lever 20 will depress the horizontal armof the bell crank lever 200 and thus shift the rod 20 leftward. Thiswill, of course, momentarily displace the shiftable roller 15 along thewing cam 14 but during the time that this displacement is taking placethe pin drum 22 will be advanced one step to bring its next longer pininto line with the stop 20a ready to arrest the rod 20 when it againmoves rightward and this stopping will set the roller 15 in its newposition towards the left, and if we are making a widened high splicethe new position of the roller will be one step towards the wide end ofthe tapered wing cam 14.

The operation is so timed that the shifting of the roller 15 takes placewhen the gap between the wings 14 comes opposite theroller, that is, thegap that exists between the straight edges of the cam wings, this gapbeing wider than that between the tapered edges.

It will be seen from the above that the controller rod 20 will be givena reciprocating movement and during the stroke leftward the pin drumwill be rotated to bring the next pin in line to stop the rod on itsrightward stroke with the roller 15 set in proper position.

In order to bring the lever 20] into action as just described for themaking of the high splice the cam roller 30 is shifted from neutralposition rightward into line with cam 2902 by a fork or controller arm31 fixed to the rod 32 extending along the front of the machine andconnected at its left end with the bell crank lever 33 pivoted to afixed bracket at 34.

This bell crank lever overlies the end less chain 35 which chaintogether with its drum 36 and driving ratchet 37a: is well knownstandard equipment, as well as the cam operated pawl 37 a for operatingsaid ratchet. The pattern chain for purposes of my invention has buttonsas 37 thereon adapted to engage and lift the horizontal arm 33a of thebell crank lever so that its vertical arm 33 will move the rod 32rightward and thus cause the fork 31 to shift roller 30 into line withthecam 29a: to bring on the operation of the rod 20, to set roller 15for making the high splice.

It will be understood that the chain brings on the operation of the highsplice mechanism including the movement of the pin drum 22 for whichlatter purpose the rod 32 has the fork 28b for shifting the roller 28into line with its operating cam 28a.

The rod 32 is normally pressed to the left by a spring 3240 so that thehigh splice mechanism above described is out of action. The lever 33when operated by the chain sets the controller rollers 28, 30 and 30m inline with their cams. The latter roller 30% is operated to feed an upperdrum 22% step by step through lever 39, red 40, lever 41, link 42 andpawl and ratchet device 43. This upper drum provides the variable stopsfor the yarn carrier rods indicated generally at 11 these being the sameas are usually employed in this type of machines.

They carry the yarn feed fingers which traverse the rows of needles tosupply the yarn thereto. This upper drum has pins 23% of progressivelydifferent lengths, to accord with the tapered area which is to be rein.forced. The upper drum is double in form having besides the set of pins23% the ends of which face towards the left, another set 231 the ends ofwhich face towards the right. The set of pins 23m act as stops for therightward movement of the yarn guide carrying rods y so as to define theright band edge of the reinforced area. For this purpose they coact withthe usual stops on the carrier rods,

' one of which is indicated at 1 1, Fig. 1, while the other set of stoppins 23;; coact with the stops on the carrier bars y, one of which isindicated at 3 2.

These stops 23 and 3 2 limit the leftward movement of the yarn guidesand thus define the lefthand edge of the reinforced area.

For shifting the roll 30:12 into and out of line with the cam 30y seeFig. 3 on the cam shaft 7 I employ an arm 32a: fixed to the shifting rod32 and having a fork to engage a collar or grooved hub on the roll30213.

As is well known the cam shaft 7 is shifted 7 towards the right duringthe narrowing operation so as to carry the knitting cams out of linewith their respective rollers. In my improvements this shifting of thecam shaft rightward brings a cam 29a into line with the roller 30 andthe lever 20] will be depressed by this cam and thus the bell crank 200will be operated to a degree suflicient to throw the roller 15 at thewing cam 14 leftward beyond the range of this cam so that during thenarrowing operation there'will be no contact of the wing cam 14 with theroller 15 and the needle bar will not be moved backward from its normalposition, this mechanism furnishing a safety device to in sure thatduring the narrowing operation the needle bar will not be rocked out ofits normal position, and the narrowing operation, involving the transferof stitches from needle to needle will not be interfered with.

After the narrowing operation has been completed the main cam shaft isshifted left ward so that the knitting cams are again brought intoaction. This shifting of the main cam shaft releases roller 30 fromcontrol by the cam 29a and then the lever 20f,

lever 20c and rod 20 will restore to normal or inactive position and theshifting roller 15 will be' set out of the range of movement of thetapered wing cam while ordina knitting is being performed and until reinorclng of the fabric is again proceeded with. i

In Fig. 4 I show two forms of the wings of cam 14. The wing 14a willcooperate with the pin drums and yarn carrier stops which will make avertical edge at one side of the reinforced area and an inclined edge atthe other side. If the reinforced area is to have both edges inclined inrespect to the center line of the goods to provide a high splice taperedequally then the wings of the cam 14 would be like that indicated at146.

I claim: I

1. In a full fashioned knitting machine and in combination, a needlecarrying bar, means for adjusting said bar automatically ,to a rearwardposition for making longer stitches during reinforcing, including arotary cam and a member operable thereby and connected with the needlebar, means for rotating saidcam, means for automatically chan ing therelative positions of the said mem er and cam, consisting of means forreciprocating said member and a rotary cam for stopping said membervariably on one stroke, splicing .yarn fingers, reciprocating carrierstherefor, cam means for variably arresting the carriers, with means forautomatically rotating the said cam, a controller, and connectionstherefrom to the member reciprocating means, for bringing the same intoaction, and to the rotary cam operating means for variably stopping themember and to the rotary. cam operating means for' variably stopping theyarn carriers for'bringing said cams into action, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a full fashioned knitting machine, means for adjusting the needlebar for splic- 1 ing comprlsing a cam on the main cam shaft,

a roller shiftable lengthwise of the machine along said cam, a rodextending lengthwise of the machine for shifting the roller, a cam onthe main shaft, lever means operated thereby for initiatingreciprocating movement of said rod, a stop cam for variably limiting theV .movement of said rod in one direction, means for operating said cam,pattern controlling mechanism for determining the times of operation ofsaid lever means and said stop cam, said main cam shaft being shiftablefor narrowing, and cam means on the camshaft for operatingthe said levermeans and rod for shifting said roller lengthwise of the machine and outof the range of its operating cam when said main cam shaft is shiftedfor narrowing.

3. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, means forrocking the needle bar during knitting of the courses containingreinforcing yarn consisting of a cam, a

member operated by said cam and connected with the needle bar, means forshifting the said member automatically alongsaid cam to hold the needlebar in its rearward position for different lengths of time that saidmember will be operated by said cam, said shifting means giving to saidmember a reciprocating movement lengthwise of the machine andautomatically operated stopping means which variably arrests the strokeof the member in one direction, substantially as described.

4. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, means foradjusting the needle bar automatically for making loniger stitchesduring the knitting of the rein orced part of the courses, consisting ofa cam varying in form in a direction lengthwise of the machine, a shaftextending lengthwise of the machine and carrying said cam, a memberoperated by said cam and connected with the needle bar, means forreciprocating said member lengthwise of the machine, a drum arranged onan axis parallel with that of the cam shaft, said drum halving stopsarranged annularly about the axis of the drum at different positionslengthwise of the machine for arresting the said member in one directionand with Variations in length of stroke and means for giving said drum astep by step movement automatically to bring its stops in position toarrest the movement of said member.

5. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine a needle bar,means for rocking said nee le bar during the lmitting of coursescontaining a reinforcing yarn, comprising a main cam shaft, a camthereon varying in form in a direction lengthwise of the said shaft, aregulating shaft with a connection between the same and the needlecarrying bar, a yoke on the regulating shaft, a roll- 'er shiftable onsaid yoke in a direction lengthwise of the cam shaft, a rod extendingand reciprocal in a direction lengthwise of the cam shaft, a member onsaid rod connected to the roll for shifting it, means for automaticallyreciprocating said rod lengthwise, a rotary step by step drum with meansfor operating it automatically, said drum having stops annularlyarranged and at different positions along the machine, said stopsarresting the strokes of the rod in one direction and to locate the rollat different points along the cam to hold the needle bar in its rearwardposition for different lengths of time to accord with the varying widthof the reinforced area, substantially as described.

6. A full fashioned knitting machine havingin combination a needlecarrying bar, means for moving said bar into position to produce longerstitches during the reinforcing of the fabric said means including acam, and a member operated thereby and shiftable along the cam to bevariably controlled therethe action of the knitting cams, and means '5for eliminating the operation of the needle bar moving mechanism, saidlast mentioned means being normally out of service and brought intoservice by the shifting of the main cam shaft for narrowing, saideliminating means shifting the said cam operated member away fromoperative relation to the cam substantially as described.

7. A full fashioned knitting machine, having a needle carrying bar to beadjusted to or set in rearward position for making longer stitchesduring reinforcing, a cam on the main cam shaft for shaping thereinforced area and a member operated by said cam for setting the needlebar in its rearward position, said member having relative shiftingmovement lengthwise of the machine to bring different portions of saidcam into ac tion on said member, a rod extending lengthwise of themachine for effecting said adjustment, means for operating said rod, acam on the cam shaft for operating said means, pattern means including acontroller device for bringing the rod operating means under theinfluence of said last mentioned cam, said main shaft being shiftablelengthwise for bringing into action narrowing cams and throwing out ofaction knitting cams and a cam for giving the rod operating means amovement to eliminate the action of the shaping cam on the member toeliminate movement of the needle bar during narrowing, substantially asdescribed.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 in which the movement of the rod underthe action of the cam on the main shaft carries the shiftable member outof range of the shaping cam, substantially as described.

9. In a full fashioned knitting machine and in combination, a needlecarrying bar, means for adjusting said bar automatically to a rearwardposition for making longer stitches during reinforcing including a camand a member operable thereby and connected with the needle bar, saidmember being shiftable relative to the cam, a rod extending along themachine for operating said shiftable member, a lever connected to therod, for operating it lengthwise, a cam on the main cam shaft, a membershiftable to and out of position to be operated by said last mentionedcam and when operated transmitting movement to said lever, a patternchain and a rod set by said chain, and connected to said shiftablemember last mentioned, substan tially as described.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 in which the last mentioned shiftablemember is carried by a lever pivotally mounted and extendingtransversely of the machine, and said lever operating the firstmentioned lewise to bring thever in a direction lengthwise of themachine,

substantially as described.

11. In a full fashioned knitting machine, a needle carrying bar, meansfor setting said bar in position to make longer stitches duringreinforcing including a cam of varying shape in a direction lengthwiseof the machine, a main cam shaft carrying said cam, a roller shiftablealong the cam lengthwise of the machine, means operated by the rollerconnected with the needle bar, a rod extending lengthwise of the machinefor shifting said roller, a cam on the main shaft,

means operated by said cam for moving said rod lengthwise including acontroller to determine when said last mentioned cam will operate saidmeans to move said rod, a pattern chain, means operated by said chainincluding a rod extending along the machine for operating saidcontroller, substantially as described.

12. In combination in a full fashioned machine, a needle bar, a cam, amember to be operated by saidcam and shiftable relative to said cam, aconnection between said member and the needle bar for setting the latterin position for making longer stitches when reinforcing is to be done,mechanism for shifting said member, including means for which thereciprocating means for the shiftable member is operated by a cam on themain shaft, a controller for determining when said cam will operate saidreciprocable means, a 'rod extending along the machine and operated fromthe pattern chain for setting said controller in operative position,said rod also setting the controller of the stop means, substantially asdescribed.

14. Apparatus according to claim 3 in which the means for shifting thesaid member is operated by a cam on the main shaft and together withsaid cam is located at one end of the machine and pattern mechanism forcontrolling the times at which said shifting means will operate, saidpattern mechanism'being located at the other end of the machine,substantially as described.

15. In combination in a full fashioned knitting machine, means forautomatically setting the needle carrying bar rearwardly duringreinforcing to make longer stitches, said means including a cam and amember shiftable along the same to be operated thereby for differentlengthrperiods of time, a rotar drum having stops to determine theshiftedposition of said 'roller, a yarn carrier supporting bar for thereinforcing yarn fingers, a stop on said bar, a ,rotar drum havingannularly arranged butfaxia 1y difierently disposed stops to coact withthe stop on the carrier bar to arrest the same 'progressively, and meansfor giving the drums a step by step movement.

16. A full fashioned knitting machine according to claim in which thedrums are operated from cams on the main shaft through pawl and ratchetmechanisms, shift able controllers to at times transmit power from saidcams to said mechanism, a pattern chain and means operated thereby forsetting the shiftable controllers in operative posltion, substantiallyas described.

17. In a full fashioned knitting machine, and in combination with theneedle carrying bar, means for setting said bars formakin longerstitches during reinforcing, inclu l ing a rotary cam on the main camshaft of varying shape in a direction lengthwise of said shaft, a membershiftable along the said cam to be operated thereby, a connectionbetween said member and the needle bar for adjustin the latter forreinforcing, means for shiftmg said member including a rotary drum havinannularly disposed stops positioned at di erent points in the directionof the axis of the drum, a rod connected to said shifting member andhaving a stop to coact with the stops on, the drum, means for mov ingthe rod'lengthwise of the machine, including a cam on the main cam shaftand a lever operated thereby, a carrier rod for the reinforcing yarnfinger, said rod extending 4 lengthwise of the machine, a stop thereon,a stop drum having, annularly arranged stops to coact in succession withthe stop on the carrier rod, said drum stops being varyingly positionedin the lengthwise direction Y of the machine to vary the length ofstroke of the carrier rod'to accord with the pattern of 'the reinforcedarea, cams on the main cam shaft for operating the drums, a patternchain, a rod extending len hwise of the. machine, and operated b t epattern chain, and controller means s iftedby said rod to render thecams on the main shaft effective or ineffective in o crating the twostoptdrums and the lever w ich operates the shi ing member relative tothe cam first mentioned, substantially as described. y

In testimony whereof I afiix m signature.

' WOLFGANG D. R CHTER.

